Law and Nurture

Essay

Discipleship begins by seeing the condition of the person. The people we want to lead may be mature, responsible sheep, but the people God actually entrusts to us may be young lambs, wounded believers, or people who cannot yet stand firmly on their own. A shepherd does not choose only the kind of sheep he prefers. A shepherd receives the people Jesus entrusts and cares for them according to their condition.John 21:15-17Feed my lambs.

In John 21, Jesus tells Peter to feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His sheep. This is not mere repetition. There is discernment here. A lamb and a mature sheep do not need the same care. Some people need nourishment and safety first. Others need direction, responsibility, and guidance.

If we push strong training on a lamb too early, the wound can deepen. When faith is still young, when the person’s sense of self is unstable, and when the experience of being loved is weak, the first language may need to be, “You are doing well,” “You are okay,” and “You are loved.” A person must receive enough love before training can be received in a healthy way.Isaiah 40:11He will gather the lambs in his arms.

On the other hand, if we only keep feeding a mature sheep, growth can stop. Mature sheep need responsibility. They grow as they move, serve, and carry what has been entrusted to them. Shepherding does not mean saying the same thing to everyone. It means loving and forming people according to their stage and need.1 Thessalonians 5:14Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak.

This principle also helps us understand churches. Some churches may be places of restoration, some may focus on foundational nurture, and others may raise mature coworkers. We should not judge a church too quickly because it does not fulfill every role perfectly. In the body of Christ, different parts carry different assignments.

Law and gospel must also be understood with this kind of discernment. The Mosaic covenant and the new covenant do not operate in the same way. When we say Jesus fulfilled the law, it does not mean that we now repeat every Old Testament institution and ordinance in the same form. It means the purpose toward which the law pointed has been fulfilled in Christ.

The clearest example is sacrifice. Old Testament sacrifices were repeated, but the cross of Jesus was a once-for-all sacrifice. The new covenant people cannot return to animal sacrifices. The temple also changes in Christ. Jesus is the true temple, and the church and believers in Christ are now the place where God’s presence is revealed.

This does not mean the law has no value. The law reveals the holiness of God, exposes sin, and shows that human beings cannot make themselves righteous. The law is like a mirror. It can show what is dirty. But a mirror cannot wash a person. The power to cleanse and give life is found in the gospel, the Holy Spirit, and the new life God gives.

Tithing must be discerned within this same structure.Matthew 23:23The weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. In the Old Testament, the tithe was connected to the temple, the Levites, and the religious-national structure of Israel. In the new covenant, voluntary giving and stewardship become more central. This does not mean rejecting tithing outright or criticizing churches that teach it.

For some people, tithing can function as basic training in faith. When someone is learning that God is the owner of all things, a clear practice can help. But a mature believer may already be living with the conviction that everything belongs to God and may give, share, and devote far beyond a simple minimum. Such a person needs the language of deeper stewardship and calling, not only the language of basic rule-keeping.

In the end, law and nurture require us to hold together the structure of the gospel and the stage of the person. Lambs need love and nourishment. Growing sheep need direction and responsibility. Mature coworkers need deeper mission and freedom. The law has its benefit, but life is in the gospel.2 Corinthians 3:6The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. A shepherd must discern, feed, tend, and build people within that gospel.

Key Takeaways

1. A shepherd does not choose only the sheep they prefer.

The people God entrusts may not be mature, reliable, or easy to lead. They may be young lambs, wounded believers, or people who need long care. Shepherding begins by receiving the people Jesus entrusts as mission.

2. John 21 shows different kinds of care.

Jesus speaks of feeding lambs, shepherding sheep, and feeding sheep. The distinction matters. Not every person needs the same kind of care at the same moment.

3. Lambs need love and feeding before heavy responsibility.

New believers, wounded people, and dependent souls can be damaged if they are immediately pressed into discipline or performance. They need stability, safety, nourishment, and the experience of being loved before they can bear heavier training.

4. Encouragement can be a serious pastoral act.

For someone whose identity is fragile, simple words like "You are doing well" or "You are loved" are not shallow. They can give the inner safety needed before correction or responsibility can be received.

5. Mature sheep need direction and responsibility.

Some believers grow when responsibility is entrusted to them. Feeding them endlessly without giving direction, mission, or responsibility can actually hold them back. Mature sheep need to walk, serve, and participate in the work.

6. Pastoral discernment means caring according to stage.

Some people need love, some need training, and some need mission. Treating everyone the same way may feel fair, but it often ignores the actual condition of the person. Shepherding requires flexible discernment.

7. Different churches may carry different roles.

Some churches function as places of restoration, some as places of teaching and growth, and some as communities of mature partnership. One church may not carry every role equally. It is better to discern than to judge carelessly.

8. The Mosaic covenant and the new covenant work differently.

Jesus fulfilled the law, but that does not mean believers now repeat every Old Testament command in the old structure. Fulfillment means the purpose of the law has reached its goal in Christ.

9. Sacrifice is completed in Jesus.

Old Testament sacrifices were repeated again and again. Jesus’ cross is once-for-all. To return to animal sacrifice after Christ would dishonor the sufficiency of His blood.

10. The temple is re-centered in Christ and His body.

The Old Testament centered worship around the temple, but the new covenant centers on Christ. Jesus is the true temple, and believers in Him are God’s living temple. God’s presence is no longer confined to one building.

11. Righteousness is grounded in faith, not external rule-keeping.

Many Old Testament regulations belonged to Israel’s religious and national structure. In the new covenant, the standard of righteousness is faith in Christ, and true transformation comes through the inward work of the Holy Spirit.

12. The law still has real benefit.

It is an overreaction to say the law is worthless. The law reveals sin, shows God’s holiness, and teaches us that we cannot make ourselves righteous. It gives clarity about the human condition.

13. The law is a mirror, but not the power that cleanses.

A mirror can show dirt, but it cannot wash the face. The law exposes sin, but life, cleansing, and transformation come through the gospel, the Spirit, and the new life given in Christ.

14. Tithing must be understood through the new covenant.

The Old Testament tithe was connected to the temple, the Levites, and Israel’s covenant structure. In the new covenant, voluntary giving, stewardship, and joyful dedication come to the foreground. This is not a rejection of tithing but a clearer framework.

15. Mature believers need a broader language of stewardship.

For some, the tithe is an important basic discipline. But mature believers may already understand that all they have belongs to God. They need language about mission, generosity, stewardship, and full dedication, not only a beginner’s rule.

16. Ministers must be ready for many stages of people.

God may entrust unborn-like lambs, young lambs, growing sheep, or mature coworkers. A minister cannot prepare only one approach. Shepherding requires the ability to feed, heal, guide, train, and entrust according to the person’s stage.

17. The benefit of the law and the life of the gospel belong together.

The law helps reveal sin and discern God’s will, but it does not give life by itself. The gospel gives life, the Spirit changes people, and the new covenant calls us into inner transformation. Healthy ministry holds both clearly.